How to Make a Large Kanzashi Rose from Satin Ribbon
Here's how to make a big kanzashi rose: cut and singe the ribbon, fold the small and large petals, shape the leaves over a candle, glue the petal rows onto the base, and twist the center.
BeginnerFree
Translated
Things you will learn
The kanzashi rose comes together on a round fabric base 5 cm across: the petals are glued on in rows and held with glue or a glue gun.
You'll need 5 pieces of ribbon 5 cm long for the small petals, 18 pieces 6 cm long for the large petals, and 2 pieces 10 cm long for the leaves.
Shape the leaves over a candle: fold the ribbon in half lengthwise and heat it with tweezers to form a center vein and side veins, then singe the edges so they don't fray.
Glue the large petals around the base in four rows — 6, 6, 3, and 3 petals — then twist the remaining three petals into the center bud.
What you'll get
A big kanzashi rose made from satin ribbon, with buds, leaves, and a full center — works well as a brooch or a gift decoration.
Materials and tools
Materials
Purple satin ribbon 2.5 cm wide, For the rose's small and large petals.
Emerald satin ribbon 4 cm wide, For the rose's leaves.
Fabric or ribbon scrap for the base, Cut a round base 5 cm across from this.
Glue or a glue gun, For attaching the buds, leaves, and petals to the base.
Tools
Scissors, Make sure they're sharp — this matters for a clean edge.
Large tweezers, For holding the ribbon over the candle while shaping the leaf veins.
Tea light candle, Used for singeing edges and heat-forming the veins on the leaves.
Preparation
Cut the ribbon pieces
For the small petals, cut 5 pieces of ribbon, 5 cm each. For the large petals, cut 18 pieces, 6 cm each. For the leaves, cut 2 pieces, 10 cm each.
Singe the raw edges
Singe the raw edges of every cut ribbon piece before you start folding.
Fold the small petals
Fold and secure a petal
Lay a short piece of purple ribbon wrong-side up and fold both top corners in to the middle. Secure the petal by singeing the bottom over a flame.
Shape the leaves
Shape the ribbon into a leaf and heat-form the veins
Shape the two emerald ribbon pieces into leaves: trim the corners to a point so the ribbon takes on a leaf shape. Fold the piece in half lengthwise. Holding it with tweezers, heat it over the candle to form the veins — the center vein and the side veins. Don't forget to singe the edges too.
Prepare the base and the buds
Cut the round base
From fabric, felt, or a scrap of satin, cut a round base for the flower 5 cm across.
Wrap the buds in leaves
Cut the leaves in half crosswise — you'll end up with four pieces. Take one purple bud and wrap it in a leaf piece. Do the same with the second bud.
Attach the leaf-wrapped buds to the base
Using glue or a glue gun, attach the two leaf-wrapped buds and the remaining leaves to the base.
Build up the large petals in rows
Fold the large petals
Take the 6 cm pieces and fold them the same way you folded the small ones.
Glue on the first petal
Take the first petal and glue it to the base. The flat side of the petal should face outward, with the folds sitting at the bottom.
Glue on the first row of 6 petals
Glue 6 petals around the base one at a time, overlapping each one (see the photo).
Glue on the second row of 6 petals
The second row is also 6 petals, attached to the base the same way.
Glue on rows 3 and 4 of 3 petals each
For rows 3 and 4, use three petals each.
Make the rose's center
Twist the center and set it in place
Take the remaining three petals and twist them together, one by one, into a single bud. Spread glue in the middle of the large rose and set the three-petal bud into it.
The rose is ready
The kanzashi rose is ready.
Finish and variations
Finish
Check that everything is glued firmly
Make sure every petal, bud, and leaf is holding firmly on the glue — especially if you'll be wearing the rose as a brooch.
Variations
Rose without buds and leaves
Following the discussion's example, you can leave the center rose in an arrangement without the extra buds and leaves, and make the side roses the full version with buds.
A different ribbon color combination
You can swap the satin ribbon colors for any others — the folding technique for the petals and leaves stays the same.
After cutting and folding, loose threads show up along the ribbon's raw edges.
Likely cause
The raw edges weren't singed before folding or securing the petal.
How to fix it
Singe the raw edges of every ribbon piece right after cutting, and again after folding the petal — this stops the fraying.
The leaf veins come out uneven
Problem
The center vein or side veins on the leaf are barely visible or sit crooked.
Likely cause
The ribbon was heated over the candle without tweezers, or not long enough.
How to fix it
Hold the folded ribbon with tweezers and heat it over the candle, forming the center vein first and then the side veins.
The petal rows look uneven
Problem
The petals in one row sit with different amounts of overlap or at different heights.
Likely cause
The petals were glued on without lining up against the previous row, or the overlap wasn't kept consistent.
How to fix it
Glue the petals around the base one at a time with the same overlap, using the pieces already glued in the row as your guide (as shown in the photo).
Want something more understated
Problem
The finished rose looks too dressy for everyday wear.
Likely cause
Buds and leaves were added to every rose in the arrangement.
How to fix it
As noted in the discussion, you can leave the center rose without buds and leaves and keep them only on the side flowers — that gives the arrangement a more understated look.
?FAQ
What ribbon do I need for a kanzashi rose?
You'll need purple satin ribbon 2.5 cm wide for the petals and emerald satin ribbon 4 cm wide for the leaves.
How many ribbon pieces do I need to cut?
5 pieces of 5 cm each for the small petals, 18 pieces of 6 cm each for the large petals, and 2 pieces of 10 cm each for the leaves.
Why singe the ribbon edges?
Singeing the raw edges with a candle or lighter keeps the ribbon from fraying and locks in the shape of the folded petal.
How many rows of petals do I need to glue on?
The first and second rows each have 6 petals, and the third and fourth rows have 3 petals each.
What is the rose's center made from?
The center is twisted from the three remaining petals and glued into the middle of the rose.
How can I use the finished rose?
A kanzashi rose like this works well as a brooch or as a decoration on a gift.
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Just like on my daughter's dress! And a pretty pricey dress, too... On the sash there are three little roses — two on the sides that are almost exactly like yours, and the center one without buds and leaves. I think you could save quite a bit by decorating an ordinary semi-formal dress with flowers like these. :) Though it's really painstaking work and takes patience and care...
BeginnerFree
Just like on my daughter's dress! And a pretty pricey dress, too... On the sash there are three little roses — two on the sides that are almost exactly like yours, and the center one without buds and leaves. I think you could save quite a bit by decorating an ordinary semi-formal dress with flowers like these. :) Though it's really painstaking work and takes patience and care...